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Israeli raid in Gaza kills one civilian

Israeli forces have killed a Palestinian civilian during a raid in southern Gaza, hospital officials and residents said.

21 Oct 2006 03:18 GMT

Around 250 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since June

Hospital officials said the dead civilian was a man aged 50.

Residents said he was shot and killed on Saturday when soldiers raided an area near the Sufa Crossing in the southern Gaza Strip.

The Israeli army said it was checking the report.

Palestinian security officials and witnesses said a separate Israeli force of around 20 tanks entered northern Gaza, blocking the entrance to the town of Beit Hanoun and clashing with fighters there. There were no reports of casualties.

The army said it was also checking that incident.

Palestinian fighters often use fields around northern Gaza to fire makeshift rockets at the Jewish state.

Israel launched a major offensive in Gaza in late June after Palestinian fighters abducted a soldier in a cross-border raid from the coastal strip. The soldier is still being held.

Around 250 Palestinians, about half of them civilians, have been killed in the operations.